Episode Three

Melissa Marshall is proud to present the newest addition to the No You Cant'cer Foundation, Melissa Marshall's Bag of Tricks and Ostomy Tips! Every Tuesday, Melissa will be back to introduce you to an all-new ostomy product, or accessory, and tell you where to get it. She will highlight products you may already have, some imported from other countries, and a few little items that you may have never thought to include in your own ostomy regimen.

For her second episode, Melissa introduced the Riksack by Stomaworks. It is a band new ostomy item that she sees as a "Must Have" for all active ostomates! The Riksack is an ostomy changing kit that works for colostomies, ileostomies and urostomies. The starter kit, which the lovely Jon from Stomaworks sent her, includes the Riksack, a roll of disposable liners, an adjustable belt to hold the Riksack tight to your torso, an additional adjustable belt to hold your shirt safely out of the way while you're changing your appliance, and a pack of flushable bags! With the Riksack, there's no awkward fumbling and rushed cleaning because you don't have to worry about any messy seepage ruining your clothes. While this product comes from the UK, it's available for purchase to be shipped to the US. If you're a traveler like Melissa, who is constantly on the road for her singing career, you can leave it in the truck, confident that you can go about your drive without worrying about finding a last minute bathroom. There's also no more uncomfortable crouching over the toilet when you change your appliance. Everything you need can be within arms reach and there's no mess! It's also very easy to clean and regular small trash bags, such as the "office can" sizes can be used in a pinch. Overall, Melissa believes that the Riksack is well worth the money and belongs in your ostomy kit.

If you would like to try the wonderful Riksack, or learn more about it, you can visit it's page on the Stomaworks website HERE. If you do try a sample, or have used this model before, please let Melissa know in the comments. You can also follow Stomaworks on Twitter!

The second product that Melissa is trying, thanks to her trusty Riksack, is a two piece drainable Hollister appliance; the New Image Flat CeraPlus in beige. As you might recall in episode one, Melissa tried two different one piece Hollister appliances and neither were right for her. Still, the she wanted to see if the added Ceramide helped with skin irritation. So, she contacted Hollister and they send her some two piece samples. So far, the bag is holding up nicely and Melissa has high hopes. She'll discuss her thoughts more next week, in episode four, and let you know how it worked! She had to say, changing her Hollister bag was a much more pleasant experience with the help of the Riksack!

If you would like to try this pouch, or learn more about it, you can visit it's page on the Hollister website HERE. If you do try a sample, or have used this model before, please let Melissa Know in the comments.

That's all for this episode of Melissa Marshall's Bag of Tricks and Ostomy Tips! We hope you learned a little something about these two new ostomy products, and we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. You can also find us at the links below! Come back next Tuesday to see what's in Melissa's Bag of Tricks.